


All the Little things (PIP Oct. 2015)

by Konzelwoman



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-19
Updated: 2015-10-18
Packaged: 2018-04-27 01:42:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5028799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Konzelwoman/pseuds/Konzelwoman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This will be a section a day, all coming together at the end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1

**Prompt(s) - _One Last Day_ and _Growing Together_**

Xxx

_Of all the things you expect in your life, abandonment is one of the most difficult to entertain._

_When someone comes into your life, you expect them to stay, rooted, planted firmly in the ground you have both laid out._

_The slap in the face that comes with absence does not make the heart grow fonder._

Katniss stabbed the final punctuation onto the page angrily. He was everywhere she looked, the sky reminded her of his eyes, the swaying branches of the trees like his mess of curls. Even this damn diary was from him.

She flipped to the front, reading the inscription in his swirling font. “Happy birthday! Here is a way for you to get away, and scowl in peace. And also, remember. Use your words.”

She remembers the moment like it was yesterday instead of yesteryear.

As he handed her the book, their hands had lingered for possibly a moment too long, each supporting an end, holding it together. Staring into each other’s eyes far too long like some cliché moment in a movie.

After the party he had given her her first kiss, and right then and there, she knew. That moment, the feeling of home, of safety, of friendship, was one she wanted to freeze, holding on to it for all eternity, spending every day right there, unaging, unmoving, suspended in time, staring into one another’s eyes.

She slammed the book shut, hot bitter tears threatening to fall. He was only going off to summer camp, but she had felt him pushing her away slowly over the last few months. The string had finally broken when she confronted him, both of them shouting mean words meant to hurt, unable to stop, unable to move, unable to walk away.

She felt frozen in the moment, resenting every second spent there, as it overrode her wonderful safe place.

The look of hurt on his face before he turned and walked away was more than she could take. Collapsing into a ball right where she stood she broke into tears, silently pleading for him to come back.

At this point she couldn’t even remember what words were exchanged. Just the boiling feeling they had brought with them on their way past her lips, the bitter taste they left as they flew into the air, and the trail of fog that settled in their wake, making even the most logical answer impossible to see.

The front door opened, and she ignored it, thinking it was simply Prim coming home or maybe even her parents from their date night.

She nearly flung the book at her open bedroom door when his voice startled her.

“Katniss?” There he stood, Peeta Mellark, the boy with sharp eyes and a sarcastic wit, who broke her heart last week. His eyes were rimmed in red and bloodshot, as if he had been crying. The way he sniffled and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand proved her theory true.

“What do you want?” She said venomously. It was her only defense against the urge to run to him, into his arms and never let go. “Here to finish me off, sweetheart?”

He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. “I guess I deserved that one.”

She scoffed. “Yeah. You think?” Not being able to recall the argument or why exactly he would deserve such callous remarks, she started to dread her filterless mouth and the sarcasm it leaked without effort.

His eyes snapped open, staring at her in a way she couldn’t place. “You think I wanted any of this to happen?”

“Oh, come on, you have been pushing me away for weeks.” _Shut up, shut up, shut up_!

He took a step into her room, holding his hands up in a placating gesture as she stiffened. “Pushing you away? I was trying to pull you close. You’re the one who pushed.”

Her jaw fell open in indignant shock, words failing her yet again. Sure, snarky things were flying around her mind, just begging to be shouted, but they couldn’t make it past the foot in her mouth.

Use your words, echoed in her mind, each repetition making her angrier than the last. Everything about him seemed to put her on edge. The way he simply looked at her, his eyes having the nerve to look innocent. His smile daring to start with that slight twitch to meet his dimple. The way his hair flopped slightly to one side, granted that really had nothing to do with this conversation, but his effortless looks was just one more reason to be angry, or so she told herself.

“Katniss, I want nothing more than to be here with you. Always.”

Closing her mouth, she remained silent. The vicious thoughts swirling around her head slowly coming to a stand still. The pleading in his eyes the only thought she could process.

“I have to go. They are paying me. I’m saving up for…. Well, something special.”

Katniss eyed him for a moment, suspicion knitting her eyebrows together. “What?”

Peeta took a few steps closer, slowly, watching for her reaction. “Katniss, I want nothing more than to spend my life with you. Waking up every day next to my best friend is like…. Getting to live in your favorite dream. And someday I want that.”

Their argument came screaming back into her mind. He had admitted that he had deeper feelings for her, and she had pushed them all away before she did something stupid like say she felt it, too, and lost her best friend. In her efforts to save their friendship she had nearly destroyed it.

Her expression softened, watching as he closed the little distance left between them until the tips of their shoes touched. She looked down and saw his dumb double knotted laces and couldn’t help the grin they brought to her face.

In kindergarten he had taught her the importance of double knots when she tripped on her unraveling bow of her sneakers. Looking back she felt an awful lot like Cinderella, sitting in a chair as he knelt on one knee in front of her, holding her shoe and double knotting her laces, explaining their importance in his five-year-old wisdom.

She’d double knotted them ever since.

His hand on her cheek brought her gaze back up to him. “It’s just a summer, Katniss. A hot, miserable, bird-filled summer.”

She scrunched up her face in confusion. “Bird-filled?”

“If they are singing, it means you aren’t. And there’s not a day in my life that I would ever not want to hear your voice. So I expect you to call me once a day.”

“At least,” she said, smiling up at him with the small amount of happiness she could muster.

He grinned down at her. “I wish you could come with me. It’s our last summer of high school.”

“Well, maybe we’ll be lucky and they will make us bunkmates.”

Peeta looked at her skeptically. “Say what now?”

Katniss sighed, laughing darkly. “I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner. Madge just got this stupid being-pushed-away-thing in my head, and I made it so much more of a big deal than it was and I forgot through all the crap to tell you I was accepted to be a counselor a few weeks ago, right around the same time as you in fact. That’s why I was pouting when people were excited for you, because I had my letter and in my stupid made up argument we were in I forgot to tell you, but I thought I had and rationalized my anger about it toward you and-”

“Katniss,” his soft voice stopped her run-on mid sentence, a shit-eating grin on his face. “You’re using too many words.”

She slapped his arm playfully, allowing a small laugh at the sound of his own as he pulled her close in an embrace. “Sorry, Peeta,” she mumbled into his arm.

“I’m sorry, too. But we have a whole summer together to fix this before school starts again.”

“A whole hot, miserable, bird-filled summer.”

He laughed as he held her closer, and while she dreaded the moment they would have to let go, her mind wandered even farther to wondering what would happen after school, and they would really have to let go.


	2. Part 2

**Prompt(s) - Everlark in contemporary times.**

Xxx

As Katniss packed her things, she became nostalgic. Out of nowhere. Like, the littlest thing made her stop and stare, a wobbly smile on her lips as she kicked the tears back into her eyes before they fell. 

It was only a summer. Only a brief period of time away, and before she knew it, she would be back here, back home. It would be here waiting for her. Just like always. Just like forever. Just like the ballpoint pen she was holding. It’s ink was blue. Just like Peeta’s eyes. His eyes. Oh God, his eyes. She wanted to dive into them, swim around a little bit and just lounge. Float, nothing weighing her down, much like the poundage of her backpack currently. Her backpack. Prim had given it to her. It was yellow with a little duck on it and green trim. She said so Katniss would always remember her. Like she could forget a sister. Sisters were life. They gave you chocolate, and protected you, stayed up late whispering with you, borrowed your clothes…. Speaking of, where was that sweater. 

“Prim!”’ Whirling around ready to charge she came face to chest with Peeta, an amused smile on his face. “What?”

He picked up the paperweight off her desk, a forlorn expression on his face. He traced it softly with his fingers, bottom lip twitching as the corners weighed it down. He even sniffled a little bit. 

She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, sighing dramatically as he looked up at her, his eyes like a wounded puppy. 

“You are a jackass.”

He laughed, and pulled her in for a hug. “Come on, Everdeen. Just keep it together. It’s only a summer.”

“Yeah, but I’m stuck with you.”

He pulled back in mock shock, hand to his chest. “I am your best friend.” He spoke dramatically. 

“Yeah, yeah,” she waved him off. 

Despite sharing a kiss years ago, and circling the idea for ages, they had never crossed that boundary of ‘just friends’. That was safe, that line meant everything on the other side like breakups and dates and anniversaries stayed away and good things like pizza nights and long ass phone calls and innocent flirting stayed on their side. 

Storming out of her room to find Prim and her sweater, telling Peeta to guard the duck bag with his life, she began to wonder if this summer would blur that line. Heaven knows despite the fight she put up, Peeta was the one sure thing in her life, and if it meant crossing into unknown territory, so be it. 

She may just have to wrangle ankle biters in the process. 

A long, hot, process. Long like his eye lashes…. Hot like- she shook her head, determined to get that damn sweater. 

But was it a metaphor? Did the sweater stand for more than simply warmth? No. No it most certainly did not. 

Prim held out the sweater, not even bothering to look up from her computer.

“Thank you,” Katniss said softly after a moment of hesitation, snatching the sweater and treading back to her room. 

“The bag is secure,” Peeta said in a ridiculous voice, saluting as she passed by. “Hey, that’s my favorite color,” he said, pointing at the sweater. 

Damn. It most certainly did.


	3. Part 3

**Prompt(s) - Choose Your Own Adventure  
**

** ** ****

Xxx

  
As Katniss pulled up to camp on the first day, her co-captain, who was also her best friend Madge, bounced in the passenger seat beside her.

Katniss groaned. “You are much too excited for this early in the morning.”

“Oh, pish posh. The sun is out, and so am I!” She took a deep breath, releasing it as she stretched her arms to the side, nearly punching Katniss in the face. “Today is going to be a great day!”

“‘Pish posh’?” Katniss shook her head with a slight laugh. “Okay, whoever you are, where is Madge and give her back to me right now.”

Her friend side eyes her, earning a chuckle. “Katniss, it really is a beautiful day. Must you be so pessimistic?”

“I’ll just wait a few days. See if you are singing the same tune a week from now.”

“You know I can’t sing worth shit.”

“I can’t either, so we can convince Katniss to sing for both of us!” Peeta’s face appeared in the window frame of Katniss’ side, grinning almost as brightly as the sun. Katniss noticed in the rearview mirror her cheeks already looked like they had gotten some sun and she had yet to get out of the car. Turning to look at Peeta, she rolled her eyes, trying to play off the blush. “God, Peeta! You scared me!”

As their eyes met, she couldn’t help her grin. How had she ever let a stupid argument get in the way of one of her best - and only - friendships? And how on God’s green earth, did she even bother to entertain the idea that they might have a budding romance?

“Liar! You heard me waking from ten feet away.”

“Yeah. You know he walks like an elephant.” Katniss and Madge both screamed as Gale appeared on Madge’s side, leaning his arms on the roof of the car.

The petite blonde woman swatted at Gale’s chest, earning a laugh. “Don’t do that, you jerk!”

Finally exiting the car and arranging their things in the cabin, the sound of laughter and squealing and too much excitement before a cup of coffee greeted Katniss’ ears, earning a groan.

Peeta wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind, rocking from side to side clumsily, his chin resting on her shoulder. “Oh, come on. This will be fun!”

“Somewhere on this globe, every ten seconds, there is a woman giving birth to a child. She must be found and stopped.”

Peeta rested his forehead where his chin had been, laughter shaking him as Katniss reached up, grabbing his forearms to brace herself.

Madge looked at her in what could only be described as pure evil. “What?” Katniss narrowed her eyes at her friend.

Simply holding out her phone, Madge showed her a picture of her and Peeta with his chin on her shoulder, both of them staring at the floor with silly smiles on their faces. She had posted it to every social media platform she had and captioned it with the Sam Levenson quote Katniss had just said along with, “Just getting out some pre-camp lovin’!”

This was going to be a long summer.


	4. Part 4

**Prompt(s) - Wrath & Pride**

Xxx

Over the next few weeks, Katniss had been anything but, well, Katniss. She was beside herself, trying to be what she thought Peeta might want. The final piece to push her over that friend line they were skirting. 

The first week she had been lackluster in her desire to lead the kids in archery lessons. She really didn’t like kids. Well, she liked them. They were alright. Just not in masses of dozens at a time asking one thousand questions at one hundred different volumes and speeds. 

“Why are arrows straight?”

“Do they make arrows that are like boomerangs and come back to you after killing your enemies?” (That kid, Cato, kinda scared her, to be honest.)

“Why are these feathers on the back rubber? Is it because they are made from rubber ducks? That must be it.”

Gale had been a blessing, being the other archery teacher and a big brother back home, he knew exactly how to handle the barrage of questions that made Katniss want to punch a tree. 

And it didn’t help that her pride got in the way. Gale bragged to all the kids about Katniss’ marksmanship, telling them she was just like that princess in the new animated movie they all were obsessed over. After literal childish chanting, the two of them found themselves in a competition. 

Readying her arrow, drawing back and taking a breath, she released to hit a perfect bullseye, the children rising to their feet in praise. 

Gale stepped up, and to her astonishment, split her arrow in half. He smiled at her smugly. “I did teach you after all, Catnip.”

A wave of jealousy took her over, and without thinking, she found herself releasing arrow after arrow after arrow, each splitting the last, or hitting right beside it, so close the shafts were touching. 

Turning around, smiling proudly she was met with dropped jaws all around. Including camp manager Effie Trinket. 

Katniss had received a stern warning about teaching violence to such young, impressionable minds, and put on clean up duty in the kitchen for the next week. 

This is where she met the drunken janitor-groundskeeper-former camp goer Haymitch Abernathy. 

Whether she liked it or not, she found herself befriending the older man, enjoying his funny, and often slurred, stories of the camp when he was young. 

One night he stared at her as she mopped, pulling a flask out of his pocket. 

“What?” She narrowed her eyes at him.

He looked over her shoulder, then back to her, making Katniss turn and see Peeta in the kitchen. When they made eye contact, Peeta dropped the large metal pan he was holding with a loud thud, swearing as his face turned red and he bent down to pick it up. 

“He talks about you all the time,” was all Haymitch said. 

Katniss stared at the trails of water leaving their sudsy mark on the tile floors in the wake of her mop. 

“The boy’s got a special place in his heart for you, sweetheart. Don’t give up just yet. He’ll come around.”

Looking up, she leveled her gaze at Haymitch, raising an eyebrow questioningly. 

He chuckled. “Just sing at the campfire tomorrow night. Trust me.”


	5. Part 5

**Prompt(s) - Primrose and Jonquil**

Xxx

Madge had been giddy when Katniss whispered what Haymitch had told her that night. “Why would singing at the bonfire do anything?”

Rolling her eyes, the blonde raised her eyebrows at Katniss’ scowl. “You really don’t know anything about Peeta, do you?”

“What? Yes I do! He is my best friend, dummy!”

“I thought I was your best friend,” Madge made a pouty face, laughing as Katniss lightly reached across the aisle between their cots and smacked her arm gently. “Oh, come on. I know what you mean. But seriously, though, the first time Peeta ever remembers seeing you? You were in choir at school.”

“Really?” Katniss’ voice had raised several octaves, her nose scrunched up so she looked like a bunny.

“Really. It was back when you guys were, oh gosh, five? They had separated the room so that the boys faced the girls and you played some mirroring game to teach you how to sing rounds or something.”

“Your lack of musical knowledge astounds me,” Katniss deadpanned. This time Madge smacked Katniss. “Alright, alright, sorry,” she laughed, holding her hands up in surrender. “Sorry, miss going-to-a-fancy-music-school-when-I-graduate.”

“I’m sorry I don’t remember the specifics, but he has told the story so many times I just start to tune it out. The boy can go on and on…..”

“He does have a way with words,” Katniss mused, staring at the wall.

“Yeah.” Madge was silent for a moment. “But it’s weird. He just….. It’s like he was in a trance. One of those cliche movie moments where everything else faded, and all he saw was you across the room. All he heard was your voice, and he swears that even the birds stopped singing. I swear, whenever he tells it, it’s like he is reliving it, frozen in that moment forever.”

“He never told me,” Katniss said, looking down at her pillow.

“Of course he wouldn’t. That’s so creepy. ‘Um, hello. You’re my best friend and I have stared at you and had this massive crush on you for over eleven years.’” She lowered her voice several octaves to imitate Peeta.

Katniss threw a pillow at Madge, who screamed. “That is not creepy! Well, it is, but it’s not like that! I mean, I’ve known and he gave me flowers and pastries, and-” a beat. “Why are you smiling like that?”

“Because a: your denial and sputtering means you totally love him, too. And b: I now have your pillow. Goodnight!”

“Madge!” Katniss huffed, rising on her elbow. When obnoxious fake snoring greeted her ears, Katniss huffed, flopping back onto her back, shimmying to get comfortable. She stared at the ceiling, remembering all the times young Peeta had made excuses to talk to her on the playground, or slipped her her favorite flavor of cookie or a cheese bun into her backpack during lunch. She was lost in thought when a pillow suddenly landed on her face. “I hate you,” she muttered to Madge, muffled into the pillow, hearing the soft snickering of her friend.


	6. Part 6

**Prompt(s) - All of the colors, because, why not?**

Xxx

The day dragged on, and Katniss found herself wishing both that the night would come faster, but also that it would stay away. On the one hand, she knew she could sing, but on the other, she liked being one of the only few to know that. Plus, now that Madge had spilled the secret, she didn’t want to let down Peeta’s memory of her. She felt like nothing could live up to that. 

Throughout the day, their troupes passed one another between activities. When she’d catch a glimpse of Peeta as their groups passed one another, his cheeks burned bright red, making his sunburn look pale in comparison. She couldn’t help but feel she must look the same, darting her eyes away to stare at the ground. 

Later she caught him sketching by the lake as his group swam, and she could have sworn it was a picture of her as she taught her archery class only a few yards away. But it couldn’t be her. That girl was too beautiful. 

Katniss was rubbing her shoulders, sore from day after day of drawing back arrow after arrow, when she startled at the sudden contact with her shoulders, relaxing once she realized it was just Peeta. Years of kneading dough at his parent’s bakery had sure paid off, and he made fast work of her knots in no time, lingering even after she had thanked him, his touches soft and intimate. 

She lay on the grass, eating her sandwich for lunch, staring up as the green leaves overhead swayed to the breeze, making the sunlight dance across the ground below. Suddenly Peeta’s face appeared above her, startling her from her distracted stare into space, pondering what song to sing. She jumped up and chased him, crying out her declarations of revenge as they ran from one end of camp to the other. 

A cloud burst suddenly came, drenching them despite the clear blue sky, a rainbow appearing overhead. Katniss was quick to find shelter under an overhang of a nearby cabin, and they both sat, waiting for the rain to stop. She slowly began to shiver, stilling when his arms wrapped around her, lifting her up as if she weighed nothing and putting her in his lap, holding her close, rubbing up and down the length of her arms to help her stay warm. 

The purple troupe walked by through the rain, singing the song of the dwarves from Snow White, and Peeta began to whistle along. He nudged Katniss. “Nope. I will keep my dignity, thank you.”

They were like night and day, Katniss realized. Polar opposites, drawn to one another. In order for one to exist, the other had to as well. Just like night pulled the day over the horizon and sunset pulled twilight, Katniss and Peeta pulled one another along through life, hand in hand, black and white, blending beautifully in the middle. But if they crossed over the unspoken line, would they still be a perfect blend, or would they turn a muddy brown?


	7. Part 7

**Prompt(s) - Cheeks**

Xxx

They sat around the campfire that night, all of the troupes gathered for an end of the week celebration.

Sitting on the edge of the lake, it was still just light enough for some of the kids to swim, the swimming instructors Finnick and Annie splashing around with them. Suddenly Finnick disappeared, followed shortly after by a child screaming, “Shaaaaaark!” looking over his shoulder as he ran. A fin followed him, gaining by the second, and suddenly the kid was jerked back, screaming and kicking, as Finnick rose from the water laughing. “Calm down, little dude! It’s just foam,” he said, muffled by his snorkel. He let the kid touch it before the little boy was flailing, trying to punch and kick Finnick, his face bright red in anger and probably embarrassment. Finnick ran away shrieking, causing the little boy to laugh.

Katniss heard Peeta laugh across from her, and she turned, catching a smile on his face as he turned to Gale and held out his hand. “Told you it would work.”

Gale grumbled, reaching into his pocket and handing Peeta a five dollar bill.

Starting to feel a slight chill despite the fire, Katniss slid on the orange sweater she had brought, noticing Peeta’s eyes light up. She had nearly forgotten it was his favorite color, but she smiled, staring into the fire to try and find a flame that matched.

Long into the night, after hours of s'mores and laughter, Katniss cleared her throat. “Well, time for bed munchkins! We have a big big day tomorrow!” A chorus of moans from the children and boos from her friends made her scowl.

Madge nudged her shoulder, wiggling her eyebrows. “How about we get Katniss to sing us all a song!”

A round of cheers went around, Peeta’s eyes seeming to penetrate her skull. “Fine. But on two conditions. One, I get to pick it, and two, you guys will go to bed right after.” Mumbled agreements went around.

“Fine. Good. I guess I’ll sing a lullaby then. One I used to sing to my sister.”

 _Deep in the meadow, under the willow_  
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow  
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes  
And when again they open, the sun will rise.

All around her it was silent, the whippoorwills stopping their song, the crickets ceasing their scratching.

 _Here it’s safe, here it’s warm_  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you.

She glanced up to Peeta, and suddenly, all that existed was the two of them.

 _Deep in the meadow, hidden far away_  
A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray  
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay  
And when again it’s morning, they’ll wash away.  


She felt silly, she felt cliche, but then again, she felt right. She felt safe. She felt like she was home.

 _Here it’s safe and here it’s warm_  
And here the daisies guard you from every harm  
And here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you.

A round of applause and a wolf whistle from Finnick startled her from the staring contest she seemed to be in with Peeta. All the kids were ushered to their cabins by their leaders, Effie forcing everyone to get to sleep.

Before Katniss could leave the fireside as well, Haymitch came and stopped her, grabbing her upper arm lightly. “The boy was right about that voice. Birds really do seem to listen to you. Sure you’re not some fairytale princess?”

Snorting out a laugh, Katniss turned toward her cabin and collapsed on the bed, unable to sleep because of Madge’s obnoxious snoring. Sugar crash, Katniss rolled her eyes. A scowl quickly formed when she heard a repetitive ping on her window. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping.

Looking out, she saw Peeta just off the porch, tossing stones to get her attention. He waved at her to come out the him.

Tentatively, she stepped out of the house, not making a sound. She whispered once she was beside him, “Are you crazy?! We could get in tro-”

She was cut off by one Peeta’s hands on her cheek, the other around her waist pulling her toward him, his lips pressing against hers in one swift motion.

He pulled away after a moment, leaning his forehead against hers, breathing heavily as if he had just run a race. “Katniss, I can’t stand this anymore. I know we’ve talked about it. I know we said there was a line, but dammit! Can’t we just forget about the line? Can’t we just erase it and walk forward without having to crossover into this weird world of requirements? I just want to run forward while holding the hand of my best friend. Why does that have to change anything? If anything, it’s just good stuff like kisses and gifts and even more late night phone calls. What are we so afraid of?”

Katniss wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling her head back just enough to look him in the eye as she smiled. “Peeta, shhhhh. You’re using too many words.”


End file.
